Topic: Puzzle #1108 - Solved! 1971 AMC Hornet-Jeep Cowboy Pickup

[fyreline]

In an additional source I have located, Jim Alexander (the vehicle's designer) recalled:

"A red styling mockup was made with a Gremlin front end. It had a more stylish, rakish rear but the bed wouldn't take a 6-foot long object. We built two more half-ton trucks. One was a 258-cubic inch six-cylinder with a four-speed transmission. It was a pretty basic Hornet, done in yellow. It was shipped to the Southwest for testing. The other was made from an SC 360 V-8. We didn't have any in our stock so we got one from a dealer in Royal Oak and cut it in half. The V-8 Cowboy was tested at AMC's proving grounds in Burlington, Wisconsin."

So apparently the red Gremlin-based one was, in fact, simply a styling mock-up as I supposed, and not a running car. The two running cars built were Hornet-based - one six-cylinder, one V-8. I know the V-8 car still exists somewhere - perhaps they both do.

Here's an unfortunately fuzzy shot of a later Hornet-based styling mock-up with a Jeep-inspired front end. At one point early on in the process, AMC was considering a four-wheel-drive version of the Cowboy to be marketed as a Jeep:



They even had a logo designed for it!!!



. . . and I'm willing to bet that's more than ANYONE wanted to know about the AMC Cowboy!

[Carnut]

Yes, I don't there's there a great more that can be added!
Just to tie it all up though I'll quote they story I based my puzzle on:

QUOTE
"It is indeed built on a Hornet partial body - a 1971 SC/360 two door body to be exact. It has the 360 and a four speed trans. There were reportedly more than one built (3?); this info is for the only survivor. Why an SC/360? The builders wanted a V-8 model, and just pulled the first available V-8 car, which by chance was an SC/360.
"Have you ever seen an MJ Comanche pickup? It uses 'uni-frame' construction -- deep box frame rails in the back that are part of the cab unit body construction. The cab and rails are all one piece. That type construction was first used for the Cowboy prototype, and resurrected for the MJ.
 

"All the original prototypes had the 'Gremlin' style front end. The Cowboy was meant to be Jeep's answer to the influx of mini trucks from Japan. The Gremlin front gave it a utilitarian look. The surviving prototype (2003 Creative Commons photo by Christopher Ziemnowicz, 110K JPEG) was purchased from AMC and had the front clip changed by the owner to a '77 Hornet style. This gives it a classy 'El Camino' style look, but was never considered by AMC. Many people see the survivor and assume that's exactly what it was a prototype of. All factory photos show 'Jeep' emblems on the sides and tailgate.
"The Cowboy never saw production for two reasons: 1) No four wheel drive system. It would take time to develop a 4x4 system and execs felt that a Jeep without 4x4 wouldn't go along with the image or marketing. Jeep was the company's truck brand, so a mini truck didn't fit in the AMC line-up. As mentioned, since it was targeted at mini trucks, an "El Camino" style vehicle wasn't even considered. 2) Hornets were selling just about as fast as AMC could build them. Some Hornet sales would have to be given up to insert another product on the line, and that wasn't going to happen unless it was a sure-fire winner. If 4x4 had been an easy adaptation it might have happened.
"I think it would have sold well even in 2WD only, especially with the 232/258 six compared to the fours in the competition. Just needed a good four speed. A 'deluxe' model with the Hornet clip would have been an added feature. Oh well! If Hornet production wasn't pretty much maxed out at the time it may have made the model line-up."
UNQUOTE

It's time to move this puzzle then, but unfortunately it'll have to count as a repost (I thought it was a different version hence went ahead and posted it) as it's impossible to say which car is which..    Hence I'm now merging it.